Barrel and breech ring with spring means for connecting the same



Sept. 28, 1948. I w u 2,450,064

BARREL AND BREECH. RING WITH SPRING MEANS FOR CONNECTING THE SAME FiledMay 18, 1945 Fig.1

INVENTOR (ihmffwgwu Patented Sept. 28, 1948 BARREL AND BREECH RING WITHSPRING ll/IEAN S FOR CONNECTING THE SAME.

Max Wernli, Schafi'hausen, Switzerland, assignor toVerwaltungsgesellschaft der Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon,Zurich-Oerlikon, Switzerland Application May 18, 1945, Serial No:594,475 In Switzerland April 12, 1944 Section 1, Public Law 690, August8,

Patent expires April 12, 1964 10 Claims. 1

In guns in which the barrel is subjected to heavy strain, it must bereplaced after a certain number of shots. In small bore arms simplemeans are known for effecting this replacement. These means, however,are unsuitable for larger bores in which the barrel weight is too great.Since, in guns of larger bore as well, the strain on the grooves mustnot exceed the admissible limit, it is desirable to provide means forsecuring a quick replacement of the barrel in this case also.

The present invention refers to a construction enabling this purpose tobe fulfilled. This object is secured by subdividing the barrel into twoparts, and keeping together both barrel parts by elastic means applyingthe required pressure; the process of taking apart and exchanging abarrel part is effected by overcoming the elastic force.

The partition of the barrel may take place directly between thecartridge chamber and the beginning of the rifiing grooves, or in thecartridge chamber. The means required for joining the two barrel parts,and also the means for releasing the application of the pressure, may beof various design, so that the constructional example described belowrepresents only one of the possibilities of realisations.

In the enclosed drawing:

Fig. 1 is a barrel and barrel extension for breech ring, in longitudinalsection,

Fig. 2 is the barrel, in longitudinal section,

Fig. 3 is a section along the line 3-3 in Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the barrel at its joint withthe organs applying the elastic pressure, and the parts releasing theapplication of that pressure, along the lines 4--4 of Figs. 6 and '7,

Fig. 5 is a section along the line 55 in Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is a section along the line 69 in Fig. 4,

Fig. 7 is a section along the line 7-7 in Fig. 4,

Fig. 8 is a section along the line 38 in Fig. 1,

Fig. 9 is a section along the line 9-9 in Fig. 8.

The barrel 4| is provided with a shoulder 42 connected with the cone 43.The barrel extension or breech ring 44 is fitted with a correspondingcounter-cone 45 (Fig. 4). On the barrel exitension or breech ring 44 isfitted a ring 46 pressed by the threaded ring 41 against the shoulder 48of the breech ring 44. Cone 43 of barrel part 4| is pressed by the ringunion 49 by means of screws |l| into the counter cone 45 of the barrelextension or breech ring 44. In order to enable barrel 4| to beconnected with the breech ring 44 without having to unscrew the ringunion 49, the shoulder 42 is provided with recesses, say at threeplaces, thus forming the claws II. In a similar manner the ring union 49is provided in three places with somewhat larger recesses l2, formingclaws I4, so that the claws ll of barrel part 4| can be pushed throughthe recesses l2 of the ring union 49 and made to rotate by behind thelatter; in this way the claws I4 of the ring union 49 overlap the clawsH of the shoulder 42. Between the screw heads Ill and the ring'union 49are arrangedbetween the washers l5-(Fig. 4) elastic discs l6 by means ofwhich the barrel 4| is elastically pressed on to the barrel extension orbreech ring 44. Now, in order to remove the barrel part 4| withouthaving tounscrew or even release the screws Hi, there are provided inthe ring 4.6 pressure pistons seated in holes I3. The ends l8 of thepressure pistons reach through the threaded ring 41 and exert a pressureon the ring union 49. If now, under the action of a pressure fluid orhydraulic pressure-oil, b way of example-fed behind the pistons 7through the conduit 32 and the connecting passages l9, the pistons H aresubjected to such a pressure that the springs l6 are compressed, thebarrel part 4| may be rotated 60 and its claws pulled out through therecesses I2 of the ring union 49; a new barrel part can be inserted atthe same time. If required, the barrel part 4| can be clamped in a guideclamp 20, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9.

The barrel 4| is lodged in a ring 2| rigidly connected with the mountingpart 22. The upper half of the ring 2| is recessed, whilst the lowerhalf is recessed only to the extent of approximately V thus leaving twoguiding surfaces 23. Behind these guiding surfaces are arranged holes 24and slots 25, in order that these guiding surfaces shall clingelastically to the barrel. The ring 2| is further provided with a holein which is lodged the shaft of the clamping jaw 21 which is under thepressure of the springs 26. In the ring 2| are lodged the pistons 29pressing against the disc 30 supported on the collar of the threaded nut28. Through the passages 3| a pressure fluid is fed under the pistons29, causing the disc 30-- and consequently the clamping jaw 21 as welltobe lifted up.the springs 26 being at the same time compressed. The useof curved ring plates as springs will be found suitable. The pressure ofthe fluid medium can be produced through a hand press pump fitted to thegun at a suitable place. A suitable hydraulic pressure medium is oil.

I claim:

1. In a gun, in combination, a barrel, a breech ring, spring tensionedmeans carried by said breech ring and releasably connecting said barrelto the breech ring, and hydraulic pressure operated means associatedwith the first mentioned means and so constructed and arranged tocompress the same and release the barrelfrom the breech ring.

2. In a gun, in combination, a barrel, 2. breech ring, a ring connectedto said breech ring, a ring union connected to said ring and movableaxially with respect thereto, resilient means associated with said ringunion and urging the same axially toward said ring, said ring unionreleasably engaging said barrel and retaining said barrel in alinementwith and. against said breech ring, and pressure operated means carriedby said ring and in operative engagement with said ring union to urgethe same axially away from said ring and compress said resilient meansto release the barrel from the breech ring.

3. In a gun as described in claim 2 wherein said resilient meanscomprises spring-loaded screws connected to said ring and urging saidring union axially toward said ring;

4..In a gun as described in claim 2 wherein said resilient means includecurved resilient discs.

5. In a gun in. combination, a barrel, a plurality of radially spacedclawsformed on said barrel and. adjacent the rear end thereof, a breechring, a ring connected to said breech ring, a ring union connected tosaid ring and axially movable with respect thereto, said ring unionhaving radially spaced claws. formed thereon. equal in number tosaidtfirst mentioned. claws, said claws being so constructed andarranged that the claws on the barrel pass. between the claws on. theringunion and. are in position. to be clamped by the same when thebarrel is rotated, resilient means associated with said. ring union andurging the same axially toward said ring, said ring union clawsreleasably. engaging said barrel claws and retaining said barrel inalinement with and against said breech ring, and pressure operated meanscarried by said. ring and in operative engagement with said ring unionto urge the same axially away from said ring and compress said resilientmeans to. release the barrel. from the breech ring.

6. In a gun,.in combination a barrel, a breech ring, a ring connected tosaid breech ring, a ring union connected to said ring and movableaxiallywith respect thereto, resilient means associated with said; ring,union and urging the same axially toward said ring, said ring unionreleasably engaging said barrel and retaining said barrel in alinementwith and against said breech 'ring, a plurality of pressure operatedpistons ion to urge the same axially away from said ring and compresssaid resilient means to release the barrel from the breech ring.

'7. In a gun, in combination, a barrel having a cone shaped rear end, abreech ring formed with a counter-cone and for sealing engagement withsaid cone shaped barrel end, spring tensioned means carried by saidbreech ring and releasably connecting said barrel to the breech ring,and hydraulic pressure operated means associated with the firstmentioned means and so constructed and arranged to compress the same andrelease the barrel from the breech ring.

8. In a gun, in combination, a barrel, a breech ring, spring tensionedmeans carried by said breech ring and releasably connecting said barrelto the breech ring, pressure operated means associated with the firstmentioned means and so constructed and arranged to compress the same andrelease the barrel from the breech ring, and resilient guiding meansreleasably clamping said barrel intermediate the ends thereof.

9. In a gun andgun mount, in combination, a barrel, a breech ring,spring tensioned means carried by said breech ring and releasablconnecting: said barrel to the breech ring, pressure operated meansassociated with the first mentioned means and. so constructed andarranged to compress the same and release the barrel from the breechring, resilient guiding means supported by said mount and releasablyclamping said barrel intermediate the ends thereof, said last-mentionedmeans further comprising at least one clamping jaw, and resilient meansurging said clamping jaw against said barrel.

10. In a gun and gun mount, in combination, a barrel, abreech ring,spring tensioned means carried by said breech ring and releasablyconnecting said barrel to the breech ring, pressure operated meansassociated with the first men tioned means and so constructed andarranged to compress the same and release the barrel from the breechring, resilient guiding means supported by said mount and releasa-b-iyclamping said barrel intermediate the ends thereof, said last mentionedmeans further comprising a ring positioned about said barrel and havingresilient clamping faces formed therein and at least one clamping jaw,resilient means urging said clamping jaw against said barrel, andpressure operated means in operative engagement with said clamping jawto urge said clamping jaw away from the barrel and compress said lastmentioned resilient means.

MAX WERNLL No references cited.

